‘The Hasdeo movement is a model of resistance’: Alok Shukla

The activist, who won the Goldman Environmental Prize for his campaign against coal mines, talks about the struggle of grassroots activists.

Alok Shukla helped mobilise Adivasi communities across Chhattisgarh under the “Save Hasdeo Aranya Resistance Committee”. This has saved 4,45,000 acres of forests from no less than 21 proposed coal mines. | Photo Credit: Goldman Environmental Prize

Alok Shukla, an activist who has campaigned for years to protect the heart of Chhattisgarh’s biodiverse Hasdeo forests, was awarded the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize in April. His “Save Hasdeo Aranya Resistance Committee”, which mobilised Adivasi communities from across the State, has saved 4,45,000 acres of forests from no less than 21 proposed coal mines. The Hasdeo is home to 15,000 Adivasi people, who depend on forest produce and the Hasdeo river that irrigates their crops.

But beneath these forests lie some 5.6 billion tonnes of coveted coal. In 2011, he learnt that the government had given permission to the Adani Enterprises to develop coal mines in these forests. And during the pandemic in 2020, a total of 21 coal auctions had been announced. Shukla gathered hundreds of Adivasis to protest and used digital platforms to garner support from civil society. By 2022, the Chhattisgarh legislature stalled mining in the Hasdeo forests. But Shukla’s battle is far from over. Excerpts:

You have a visceral connection to the Hasdeo Aranya forests of Chhattisgarh and its people even though you did not grow up here. How did this bond develop?

My roots are deeply embedded in the landscape of Chhattisgarh. Agriculture was our way of life. But after college, I became involved in critical issues such as river privatisation, environmental degradation, tribal rights, and the preservation of forests. This journey led me to join the Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan (CBA) in 2010, a coalition of groups dedicated to safeguarding the region’s interests. In 2012 I established a connection with Hasdeo and since then, we have been united in our struggle.

A gathering in Hasdeo. Though there was news that the Hasdeo area was being designated as a “no-go area” for mining in 2010, things suddenly changed a year later when reports emerged that Hasdeo forests were open for mining. | Photo Credit: Goldman Environmental Prize

When did you first realise there was a threat to these forests?

In 2010 there was news that the Hasdeo area was being designated as a “no-go area” for mining. But the very next year, there was a sudden shift; reports emerged that Hasdeo forests were open for mining. I visited the region and was taken aback by what I saw. The lush, biodiverse jungle, home to wildlife and fed by perennial rivers, contrasted starkly with the coal block maps indicating 23 areas designated for mining. I calculated that nearly 150 lakh acres of jungle would be directly impacted by 20 of these coal blocks. When I spoke to local residents, they were aware of the forest’s depletion but were unaware of the magnitude of the threat and the potential displacement of 30 villages.

In 2014, clearance was granted to three companies for mining on the fringes of the Hasdeo region, outside the core area initially designated as a no-go zone. However, subsequent efforts were made to relax the criteria for no-go areas, culminating in their complete removal. Realising the imminent threat to the entire forest, the Hasdeo Bachao Andolan [HBA], comprising 20-25 villages, coalesced into a movement.

A significant turning point came in 2014 with a landmark Supreme Court ruling that annulled 204 coal blocks nationwide, including 20 in Hasdeo. Resistance from gram sabhas, using their constitutional rights, the Forest Rights Act, and environmental laws, has prevented mining beyond the Parsa East Kete Basan block allocated in 2012.

Hasdeo Aranya. The residents have depended on the forests—for non-timber forest produce, farming, and fishery—for generations. | Photo Credit: Goldman Environmental Prize

How did you initiate the HBA campaign and unite so many villages into a movement?

The opposition to coal mines, some of which were allotted as far back as 2007 or 2008 but remained inactive, was inherent within the community from the outset. No community wants the disappearance of its forests. The residents have depended on the forests—for non-timber forest produce, farming and fishery—for generations. The loss of the forests would not just mean the loss of livelihoods, it could potentially displace entire villages, as illustrated by the 1,257-hectare Parsa coal block.

While individuals opposed mining, they lacked effective means to halt it. While some protested independently, a crucial question arose: what legal avenues existed if the community collectively opposed it? So, there was a need to explore and comprehend legal provisions, democratic rights, and mobilise unity. The objective was not merely to safeguard individual villages but to preserve the entirety of the Hasdeo region due to the interconnectedness of coal blocks.

The establishment of the Hasdeo Aranya Bachao Sangharsh Samiti as a local organisation marked the initiation of collaboration with the Forest Rights Act. Initially, rights were secured through the gram sabha, which subsequently determined its preferences. Thus, forest rights, financial resources, and the gram sabha emerged as focal points, fostering community awareness. While HBA served as a facilitator in connecting people, the inherent desire to resist and fight against adverse developments was primarily driven by the people themselves.

How challenging was it to lobby—and win your case—against the government and powerful entities such as the Adani Enterprises?

The challenge wasn’t just faced by me, but by the entire tribal community of Hasdeo, because this is a collective struggle. This battle is waged between corporate profit on one side and the rights of people to their livelihoods on the other. Where profit is at stake, all the forces converge, whether they are government or private. They use the same tactics: first, they try to convince us, then they offer us things to persuade us, and if that doesn’t work, they threaten us. And if we still resist, they attack us. This happens all the time; our protests have been stopped many times. The challenge here is greater because both the government and private entities want to run the coal blocks together.

Alok Shukla with members with the community. | Photo Credit: Goldman Environmental Prize

Is the battle still ongoing?

The struggle to save the 1,876 sq km Hasdeo region is ongoing. But the truth is, a significant portion of Hasdeo has been protected from coal mining, in 2021, when we marched 300 km to the capital Raipur, our major demand was to declare the area an elephant reserve. We received support from all over the country. Because of this pressure, the State government notified an area of 1,995 sq km (that includes a significant portion of Hasdeo), as the Lemru Elephant Reserve. The benefit of this notification was that approximately 14 coal blocks within Hasdeo came under this reserve. Continuous protests led to a significant development in 2022 when a proposal came from a committee of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly stating all coal blocks should be cancelled. This was a historic moment.

Despite ongoing protests, mining is happening in one block, and there are attempts to start mining in two other blocks. The protest has been going on for 770 days now. Our protest site is precisely where the new coal block, known as the Parsa coal block, is located. In the block, where mining is slated to begin, three villages are at risk of displacement. The mining company is exercising its full efforts to dismantle this indefinite protest. Despite such adversities, our protest endures.

Do you think this movement could empower tribal communities around the country?

From the Hasdeo movement, I learned a couple of things. First, in the past two decades, there have emerged several movements across the country against mining and dams. However, there was always this concern that these movements would end up becoming solely about the affected community, mainly those facing displacement, rather than encompassing broader, urban, or less-affected communities.

Another crucial aspect was how the people of Hasdeo showed that even today, by trusting in the Constitution and laws, one can fight democratically. They didn’t just chant slogans but used laws such as the Forest Rights Act. This approach made the movement resilient, setting a model for others. The Hasdeo movement is ongoing despite the powerful companies opposing them, sending a message to all movements nationwide that organised communities, using legal means and Constitutional rights, can effectively voice their concerns peacefully.